


Burning

by NotQuiteHuman



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, historically accurate board games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27549334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotQuiteHuman/pseuds/NotQuiteHuman
Summary: The witch burned at dawn. Merlin was prepared to deal with it alone, but this time he doesn't have to.
Relationships: Lancelot & Merlin (Merlin)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	Burning

**Author's Note:**

> Tafl was a popular ancient board game in Britain. I figured Camelot needed more games than just dice

The stench of burnt flesh and charred hair hung in the air. A sorcerer had burned that morning, and the smell of death still hadn’t gone away.  That was the worst of it, according to everyone else, the smell. It wasn’t the screams of that poor woman, it wasn’t the way she begged the executioner not to light the pyre, and it wasn’t the tears in her eyes or tremors in her limbs, it was the smell. Merlin kicked the wall of his tiny room with tears in his eyes. Would his death be like this? Would Arthurs only regret be the smell? Would Gwaine make some sick joke about his charred flesh smelling like cooked pork, like he had that morning as a horrible attempt to cheer Merlin up? Would Percival be excused, much like that morning, because the smell reminded him of his family that were killed in a fire set by Morgana and Morgause? 

Merlin bit back a sob. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Percival got to cry and he didn't. It wasn't fair that the men he had come to call his friends thought he deserved to die, to be executed. It wasn't fair that the woman had been burned for cooking a chicken. It was times like this that Merlin felt the violence and revenge brought upon Camelot was justified, not that he would ever admit it out loud. But when Leon said she was dangerous and Elyan said she would have killed people and could have easily, as evidenced by the chicken, it was hard not to. He usually just felt bad for them as they were so clearly brainwashed, but this was not one of those times. 

Killed over a roast chicken. Pathetic. Tragic. Horrifying. 

There were tears streaming down Merlin's face and snot dripping from his nose. He didn’t even know her name. Arthur wouldn’t tell him, insisting it wasn't important. 

It was important to the woman. It was important to her family. It was important to her friends. Merlin wondered if her friends still cared for her, mourned her. He wondered if Arthur would say his name. 

Merlin curled up under his blanket, pulling it tighter around him. He knew, in his head, that they were trying to help. They had seen how he was sad and attempted to reassure him by telling him that the woman was a sorcerer, and therefore, deserved to die. Needless to say, it did not help. He wanted to scream until his throat was raw when Arthur told him he had a bleeding heart. He wanted to cry when the knights, his friends told him that the woman deserved her fate for daring to practice magic in Camelot. 

He did cry when he realized that meant they wanted him dead. Arthur told him not to cry over a sorcerer. 

His friends, if he could even call them that, hated him. They would probably kill him if they found out, they- 

There was a knock on his door. “Go away Gaius.” he said, “I don't want to talk to you right now.” 

“It's Lancelot actually,” came a voice from the other side of the door, “and we don't have to talk if you don't want to.” there was a pause. “Can I come in?” 

Merlin nodded, even though he was alone in the room “yeah,” he said, trying not to let his voice catch, “you can come in.” 

The door opened. “How are you feeling?” 

Merlin smiled grimly, “pretty terrible” he said trying desperately not to break down crying again. 

“Well,” said Lancelot entering Merlin’s chambers and closing the door behind him, “I brought dice, cards, and tafl if you're up for it, and enough wine to get a horse drunk if you're not.” he sat down on the bed next to Merlin. “I’ll be here for you no matter what.” 

Merlin grabbed Lancelot and pulled him into a hug. “No matter what” Lancelot whispered into his hair.

At least he had one friend who didn’t want him dead.


End file.
